Top 50 Best Associate Degree Programs in Texas by ROI

Every Associate Degree program in Texas ranked by estimated 20-year net return on investment across all majors. Data from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.

Programs in Texas

554

Colleges with salary data

Average 20-Yr Net ROI

-$70,459

Across all Texas programs

Average Annual Cost

$15,177

Cost of attendance

#	College	Major	20-Yr Net ROI	Median Salary	Annual Cost	Avg Debt
1	Brazosport College Grad rate: 37.9%	Physical Science Technologies/Technicians.	+$1,519,314	$118,808	$8,423	N/A	Full ROI →
2	Wharton County Junior College Grad rate: 17.5%	Physical Science Technologies/Technicians.	+$1,082,164	$98,271	$10,406	$16,625	Full ROI →
3	College of the Mainland Grad rate: 27.1%	Physical Science Technologies/Technicians.	+$1,046,537	$95,837	$8,014	$10,500	Full ROI →
4	Lamar Institute of Technology Grad rate: 27.4%	Physical Science Technologies/Technicians.	+$946,797	$91,800	$14,139	$15,500	Full ROI →
5	Lee College Grad rate: 27.5%	Electromechanical Instrumentation and Maintenance Technologies/Technicians.	+$924,240	$89,417	$12,050	N/A	Full ROI →
6	Lee College Grad rate: 27.5%	Physical Science Technologies/Technicians.	+$876,962	$87,701	$12,050	$9,598	Full ROI →
7	Odessa College Grad rate: 25.7%	Quality Control and Safety Technologies/Technicians.	+$864,270	$86,445	$12,315	N/A	Full ROI →
8	Wharton County Junior College Grad rate: 17.5%	Nuclear and Industrial Radiologic Technologies/Technicians.	+$846,208	$85,351	$10,406	N/A	Full ROI →
9	San Jacinto Community College Grad rate: 33.3%	Physical Science Technologies/Technicians.	+$776,300	$82,989	$14,990	$10,000	Full ROI →
10	Texas State Technical College Grad rate: 37.0%	Electrical and Power Transmission Installers.	+$761,066	$82,842	$20,011	$11,668	Full ROI →
11	Lamar Institute of Technology Grad rate: 27.4%	Electromechanical Instrumentation and Maintenance Technologies/Technicians.	+$715,452	$79,929	$14,139	$11,000	Full ROI →
12	Lamar State College-Orange Grad rate: 28.5%	Physical Science Technologies/Technicians.	+$685,682	$77,855	$7,609	$12,000	Full ROI →
13	Laredo College Grad rate: 33.5%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$645,279	$75,835	$11,323	$6,500	Full ROI →
14	Del Mar College Grad rate: 14.6%	Physical Science Technologies/Technicians.	+$607,446	$74,047	$12,022	$7,000	Full ROI →
15	Houston Community College Grad rate: 17.0%	Engineering Science.	+$590,701	$73,944	$12,065	$17,814	Full ROI →
16	College of the Mainland Grad rate: 27.1%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$574,472	$72,740	$8,014	$18,000	Full ROI →
17	Amarillo College Grad rate: 28.9%	Engineering, General.	+$555,498	$70,916	$11,411	N/A	Full ROI →
18	Lee College Grad rate: 27.5%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$552,627	$71,832	$12,050	$14,750	Full ROI →
19	San Jacinto Community College Grad rate: 33.3%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$546,010	$71,677	$14,990	$13,000	Full ROI →
20	Victoria College Grad rate: 22.1%	Electrical Engineering Technologies/Technicians.	+$541,936	$70,208	$11,112	N/A	Full ROI →
21	Houston Community College Grad rate: 17.0%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$529,810	$70,964	$12,065	$18,770	Full ROI →
22	Tarrant County College District Grad rate: 22.7%	Fire Protection.	+$519,480	$69,146	$11,720	N/A	Full ROI →
23	South Texas College Grad rate: 26.8%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$497,730	$68,312	$7,505	$10,000	Full ROI →
24	Lone Star College System Grad rate: 18.3%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$493,856	$69,169	$14,637	$15,000	Full ROI →
25	Hill College Grad rate: 28.3%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$477,140	$67,180	$13,230	N/A	Full ROI →
26	Lamar State College-Orange Grad rate: 28.5%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$473,411	$68,208	$7,609	$26,319	Full ROI →
27	San Antonio College Grad rate: 23.7%	Engineering, General.	+$449,808	$65,648	$11,576	N/A	Full ROI →
28	Texas Southmost College Grad rate: 29.7%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$439,046	$65,101	$11,487	N/A	Full ROI →
29	Lamar Institute of Technology Grad rate: 27.4%	Drafting/Design Engineering Technologies/Technicians.	+$435,742	$65,201	$14,139	N/A	Full ROI →
30	Wharton County Junior College Grad rate: 17.5%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$430,230	$65,453	$10,406	$13,346	Full ROI →
31	Texas State Technical College Grad rate: 37.0%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$426,615	$66,996	$20,011	$24,654	Full ROI →
32	Baptist Health System School of Health Professions	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$420,483	$64,699	N/A	$24,812	Full ROI →
33	Howard College Grad rate: 31.5%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$420,243	$65,600	$14,227	$17,261	Full ROI →
34	Weatherford College Grad rate: 22.7%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$416,133	$65,470	$15,148	$17,015	Full ROI →
35	Pima Medical Institute-Houston Grad rate: 59.8%	Dental Support Services and Allied Professions.	+$413,521	$67,419	$25,492	$32,500	Full ROI →
36	Brazosport College Grad rate: 37.9%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$410,674	$63,376	$8,423	N/A	Full ROI →
37	Midwestern State University Grad rate: 41.1%	Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions.	+$407,758	$64,629	$22,411	N/A	Full ROI →
38	Blinn College District Grad rate: 10.2%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$402,604	$65,471	$19,233	$21,000	Full ROI →
39	San Antonio College Grad rate: 23.7%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$402,141	$64,435	$11,576	$17,338	Full ROI →
40	McLennan Community College Grad rate: 33.5%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$396,299	$64,359	$13,382	$17,864	Full ROI →
41	Grayson College Grad rate: 21.9%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$394,572	$63,976	$12,290	$15,087	Full ROI →
42	Southwest Texas College Grad rate: 31.9%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$393,822	$63,049	$13,579	N/A	Full ROI →
43	The Chicago School-College of Nursing Grad rate: 30.2%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$393,623	$67,046	$29,785	$35,353	Full ROI →
44	Blinn College District Grad rate: 10.2%	Dental Support Services and Allied Professions.	+$392,594	$63,553	$19,233	N/A	Full ROI →
45	Central Texas College Grad rate: 16.2%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$391,712	$63,784	$11,792	$15,099	Full ROI →
46	Angelina College Grad rate: 25.9%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$390,626	$63,581	$15,213	$7,828	Full ROI →
47	Galveston College Grad rate: 33.0%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$387,250	$64,123	$14,555	$19,333	Full ROI →
48	Covenant School of Nursing and Allied Health	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$385,407	$62,735	N/A	$21,698	Full ROI →
49	Wharton County Junior College Grad rate: 17.5%	Dental Support Services and Allied Professions.	+$379,868	$62,034	$10,406	N/A	Full ROI →
50	Hallmark University Grad rate: 67.3%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$379,586	$62,565	$15,857	N/A	Full ROI →

How ROI is calculated

20-Year Net ROI = Gross Earnings (salary × 20) − Total Degree Cost − Debt Payoff (×1.35) − Baseline Opportunity Cost ($42,000 × 20). Data from the U.S. College Scorecard.